Meena Kumari

Meena Kumari was an Indian actress known as "The Tragedy Queen".

The legend, one of the most beloved actresses of Bollywood cinema who took performance to new heights of perfection, lives on in the hearts of people and is one of the brightest movie stars of the land, immortal and classic today due to her immortal contributions of Baiju Bawra, Saheb, Biwi aur Ghulam and Pakeezah. Born Mahjabeen and having started at the age of six as child actress baby Meena, her contribution to cinema span upto her death at a young age. The beautiful, mesmerizing and legendary tragedy queen will always be remembered in her films, poetry, life and voice.

Meena Kumari gained fame with her role as a heroine in Vijay Bhatt's Baiju Bawra (1952). This heroine always negated herself for the material and spiritual advancement of the man she loved and was even willing to annihilate herself to provide him the experience of pain so that his music would be enriched. She became the first actress to win the Filmfare Best Actress Award in 1953 for this performance.

Meena Kumari highly successfully played the roles of a suffering woman in Parineeta (1953), Daera (1953), Ek Hi Raasta (1956), Sharda (1957), and Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi (1960). Though she cultivated the image of a tragedienne, she also performed commendably in a few light-hearted movies like Azaad (1955), Miss Mary (1957), Shararat (1959), and Kohinoor (1960).

One of her best known performance was of an alcoholic wife in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962), which was produced by Guru Dutt. In one memorable scene, the heroine, Choti Bahu, dresses for her husband, providing a poignant presentation of a woman's expectations and sexual desire.

At that time, Meena Kumari herself was on a road to gradual ruin in her own personal life. Like her character, Choti Bahu, she began to drink heavily, though she carried on. In fact, in 1962, she made history by being nominated for three Filmfare Best Actress Awards for her roles in Aarti, Main Chup Rahungi, and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. She won the award for her role in Aarti.

There are some eerie commonalities between the lives of Choti Bahu and Meena Kumari: The estranged marital relationship, the taking to drinking, the seeking of younger male company, and the craving to be understood and loved by all.

In 1952, on the sets of one of her films, Meena Kumari fell in love with and married film director, Kamal Amrohi, who was fifteen years elder than her and was already married. She wrote about Amrohi:

Soon after marriage, Kamal Amrohi and Meena Kumari produced a film called Daera (1953), which was based on their love story. They also planned another film, Pakeezah. However, it took sixteen years (1956 to 1972) before Pakeezah reached the silver screen. (The scenes in Pakeezah's popular song, Inhi logon ne, were originally filmed in black and white, and were later reshot in color.)

It is said that Amrohi did not want children with Meena Kumari because she was not a Syed. They raised Kamal Amrohi's son, Tajdaar, who was greatly attached to his chhoti ammi (younger mother).

Due to their strong personalities, however, Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi started to develop conflicts, both professionally and in their married life. Their conflicts, separation in 1960, and ultimate divorce in 1964 highly impacted Meena Kumari, who, once a happy woman, became depressed and found solace in heavy drinking.They remarried, but Meena Kumari had become an alcoholic by then.

Meena Kumari passed away on March 31, 1972 of cirrhosis of the liver. At her death, she was in more or less the same financial circumstance as her parents at the time of her birth: It is said that when she died in a nursing home, there was no money to pay her hospital bills.

Awards:

1953 - Filmfare Best Actress Award - Baiju Bawra
1954 - Filmfare Best Actress Award - Parineeta
1962 - Filmfare Best Actress Award - Aarti (1962 film)
1965 - Filmfare Best Actress Award - Kaajal

Name : Meena Kumari
Real Name : Mehjabeen Bano
Date Of Birth : August 1, 1932
Birth Of Place : Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
Education : Army Public School, Delhi
Languages: Hindi, English
Religion : Muslim
Father : Ali Baksh (Musician)
Mother : Iqbal Begum
Spouse : Kamal Amrohi (Film Director)
Date Of Death : March 31, 1972 Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Profession : Actress, Producer, Writter
Debut Film : Baharon Ki Manzil (1968)